All The Motorway Service Stations Episode 10 - Urban exploring, Farm Shops and Towers.

[@simonjohnstone6671]

Love the Hyacinth Bucket reference to Charnock Richard 😂🤣😆

[@AutoShenanigans]

So pleased someone noticed! I imagine a lot have no idea what we're on about :D

[@philpaxton2078]

@@AutoShenanigans Drive slowly past No.7. I want her to see my new hat.

[@underwaterdick]

@@philpaxton2078 🤣 love it!

[@boydsterling3193]

Mind the pedestrian!

[@philpaxton2078]

@@boydsterling3193 He's on the pavement dear.

[@Vtarngpb]

Hey Arthur!

[@MrKpsuk84]

TV fact: Rivington services on the M61 is where the pilot episode of That Peter Kay Thing 'The Services' was filmed in 1998 (with all the old buildings and interiors)

[@grahamross6397]

Chorley FM: Coming in your ears!

[@stuartmiller7419]

I remember them both well. 🙂

[@petersmithm9]

You didn't mention the shooting dead of a policeman at Birch services in the late 80s. There was, maybe still is, a memorial to him. Think it's on the Westbound side.

[@jamesbecki8104]

'Come along, Richard'...🤣90's comedy at its best... New to the channel, loving it!

[@loveisall5520]

Fascinating to see the difference between the UK system and ours in the US. On our Interstate highways there are 'service stations', privately owned, at practically every exit across most of the country. I've never seen anything to equal these huge multi-store places. Still sad to see the inroads that American junk food companies have made in your beautiful nation.

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

So are all our service stations? They are owned by private companies who run them and lots of things are on offer. McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, KFC, Starbucks, Greggs, Costa Coffee. Shops too like Spar, WHSmith.

[@legojenn]

You do have them in the US. I've not travelled extensively on US interstates, but I've these service centres in Massachussets, Connecticut, New York and Pencilvania. With the exception of the Connecticut ones, there were on toll roads though and didn't have hotels.

[@loveisall5520]

@@legojenn You need to get out more than just those few tiny places. We don't have what is shown in these videos.

[@TheMidniteGremlin]

6:16 - For Many years Forton Services was always my "happy place." Working at Lancaster Uni until about Midnite, there was little else open. At one point a couple of friends who had a takeaway would join me- two nice summers- as they were in the same situation. 3am Soya Lattes! Sometimes we would play the machines until daybreak, and finish the night with a Greggs. Happy Times, which shows that "happy" is what you make of it!

[@edwardlees4585]

Every time I went past the Pennine Tower when I was young (and we never stopped there as we were aiming for Tebay) I expected to see Thunderbird 2 taking off as it was such an iconic sixties-style structure.

[@ClydebridgeStation]

There's a good duck pond on the northbound side at Tebay! In 2010, my late dad couldn't finish his roll, so I took it out to the ducks, and within 30 seconds of me throwing bits of bread, they were all out the pond, about 30-40 ducks, and round me in a semi circle!

[@icanlevitateoff]

Camelot theme park was a major part of my childhood living relatively nearby, it was the theme park we used to go to frequently

[@ianhutchinson1783]

As a kid in the late 1960s I was taken on a special trip to Forton Services, as it was, and we had a sit-down meal of fish and chips in the iconic tower. The views of the Bowland Fells in one direction and Morecombe Bay in the other were stunning. We only did it once because the fish and chips were way more pricey than the local chippy! Let me also add my congratulations on reaching that 100k goal.

[@AnubisRubberFox]

Two bears and a SAAB always comes to mind and the only thing missing is Big Clive in the back seat blowing up some geeky toy.

[@tomtalk24]

A 12v sodastream would be doing the blowing up.

[@samholdsworth420]

Is he gay?😮

[@AnubisRubberFox]

@@samholdsworth420No just a really happy man.

[@samholdsworth420]

@@AnubisRubberFox o ok

[@MrPlownds26]

Tebay is the exception that proves the rule. In my previous career as a long haul van driver.I found almost all services to be overpriced,souless and depressing.I used to go to ridiculous lengths to have wee stops elsewhere.

[@matty6848]

Yes agreed. Tebay services is actually a pleasant services too stop at. Especially as a class 1 HGV driver who sleeps in his cab Monday too Friday, I’d try and plan my deliveries so I could stop at Tebay. With the little lake too walk around and the views it’s a lovely services to spend the night at. If I spend the night there I’ll take a walk round buy some nice food from the services and then spend the night in my cab, tucked up nice and warm and admire the views🙂👍🏻

[@dukeofaaghisle7324]

Gloucester Services on the M5 is also a pleasant stop. It’s run by the same company as Tebay.

[@jonntischnabel]

I went to the old Bolton west services just before they were demolished, there were buckets everywhere catching rain water, ceiling tiles falling down, wet floor signs and it stank like a dead dog!

[@stephenduncan3605]

You mean it slept like a rotten Alsatian (Peter Kay reference)?

[@grahamlive]

Been in Charnock Richard hundreds of times and had no idea about the abandoned theme park. Might have a nosey around next time I’m in.

[@Dan23_7]

There’s lots of vids on KZbin about it mate, I used to go there as a kid, i live only about 5 miles from where it was

[@briancurran2988]

As far as i know its been knocked down, there was supposed to be about 450 houses built on the land.

[@Dan23_7]

@@briancurran2988 No building has started yet Still derelict

[@geoffreycoan]

My parents used to live in Chorley and I live in Bedfordshire, so I used to use the back entrance and exit via Charnock Richards service station every time I visited them. In years gone by there was a fixed barrier and then rising bollards that blocked the entrance off, but they have been permanently in the down position for as long as I can remember. The local rumour was that there was supposed to be an exit off the M6 to serve Chorley but it never got built, so all the locals used the service station

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Another great episode lads, Tebay services was where my channel started, filming Volvos heading from Scotland to Bruntingthorpe and one of the nicest services to stop at as well.

[@oddities-whatnot]

Bruntingthorpe. Happy days spent waiting for ages in the cold, wind and rain to collect cars. Joyous.

[@defender1006]

Thanks for such an epic series of videos, it's just great to see and hear the wonderful histories of the many and varied sites and various operators over the years. It's also very comforting to see someone much younger than I/me having a passion for this relatively contemporary history. BTW, I hadn't realised that 'Camelot' had closed as I haven't been 'up that way' for many years now. Some of your comments etc are worthy of Jago Hazard or Geoff Marshall, I hope you take that as a positive thing, LOL?!

[@iandonkin6762]

The Forton restaurant in the tower used to be a proper table service affair - it was a treat from our grandparents to eat there!

[@Beardchanics]

Some cool location explored, love the drone shots!

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks for watching!

[@paulbyrne2893]

I used to work by Charnock Richard and we used to use that back entrance to get on the M6 quicker to go to clients and pray the police weren’t there

[@grahamlive]

Bit of trivia about Rivington Services. Peter Kay filmed the pilot episode of That Peter Kay Thing here. It was a mockumentary entitled The Services.

[@snowmanbuzzfm]

I remember it well. Also staring a very young Paddy McGuinness too if I remember rightly

[@pcdude5346]

must be good to have a passion that you can share with your other half, well... i mean if you 2 are, if not then its good to have a mate to do it with as well

[@Hazelw0lf]

I live somewhat locally to Camelot Theme Park and spent many a fun day there as a kid. Really melancholy seeing it a shell of its former self. Interesting to find out why it is that the Lancaster Services Tower was closed too.

[@MrGreatplum]

A cornucopia of delight with these service stations; abandoned theme parks, abandoned fuel pumps, football hooliganism and mothballed restaurants in a tower 👍🏻

[@jamescampling2413]

Its mad the guitarist from limp bizkit runs a group of service stations in the UK, never knew he was so into farm shops either

[@pedanticradiator]

I remember going to Camelot shortly after it opened in the 1980s cant say I was impressed. We as a family when I was young used to often call at Forton and Charnock on trips to and from the south coast or Southport or rugby league games at Wigan

[@chrisl1797]

Cool that you popped int Blackburn with Darwen services. Was hoping you might have shown drone footage of the iconic Darwen Tower up on the moors. It can be seen from all of the motorways in the area if looking in the right direction at the right time.

[@Jameshoward999]

Rivington services on the street view was when that was taken Bolton west, that was taken in June 2009. Before eurogarages took it over, it was owned by this company FIRST, I don’t think there are any services owned by them anymore.

[@richardyoung1053]

Birch - Both sides used to be linked to the bridge (although not originally I understand) but following the fire in 2003 the rebuilt westbound side was not reconnected internally to the bridge.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I did assume they were once connected, makes sense that they didn't bother reconnecting it when rebuilding I suppose. Less hassle :D

[@richardyoung1053]

@@AutoShenanigans Yes. I am surprised they reconnected the rebuilt fleet southbound services into the bridge but due to its popularity I suspect they thought it was worth it.

[@PhilReynoldsLondonGeek]

Tebay is the most beautiful service station of all. On my 2005 trip to Scotland, David and I stopped here for meals in both directions. Charnock Richard was the best stop on my 1981 trip to Scotland - I never travelled well in the back of a Mini and was really unwell by the time we got to Southwaite.

[@Dan23_7]

All the services closest to me, I live in Leyland about 5 miles from charnock Richard We used to use that services as a cheeky slip road to go to Chorley and Coppull 😂 Then get back on Northbound side to come home again… Via the KFC 😂 When me and the wife visit Moffat we always stop at Tebay for a coffee, I’m delivering to Newcastle on Monday so I’ll be stopping for a brew on my way to the A69 at Carlisle

[@G7OEA]

Charnock Richard Services is my local services along with Lymm truck stop (poplar 2000). Charnock Richard is also known as the Buy a bike services. Not because you can buy a bike there but there is a local cycle chop called Charnock Richard Cycles and it has the most irritating earworm and there for successful radio jingles I have ever heard. Lymm has an awesome shop tucked round the back selling all kinds of accessories for trucks. They also sell CB radios and it was one of the go to places locally if you wanted a CB radio.

[@Martin-david]

Buy a bike, buy a bike....

[@richardhowlett9424]

You missed one ! Whitebirk services junction 6 on the M65 , about 3 miles from Blackburn with Darwen , it is run by EuroGarages like Rivington on the M61 . I know , I’ve just discovered your channel.

[@JRLNeal]

4.10 crickey you have a head of hair! I thought you were born with a beanie on. Btw love the crazy channel. I have subscribed. Just to say I got halfway through this and realised that all you’re talking about are quite boring motorway service stations, however I have taken detailed notes of when they were opened and when they were closed for demolished or rebuilt or reopened and then 20 minutes of my life has passed by. It was like eating a big bowl of plain porridge with no sugar, and at the end of it and thinking, ‘Well I quite liked that.’ The highlight for me was the incident with the full SD card - a part of the plot with disappointment, determination, confession and resolution. What a cliff hanger!

[@AutoShenanigans]

"It's like plain porridge" A fantastic review I'd say!

[@itswhiteylad8696]

All caught up and ready for the next episode

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one... released on Tuesday. Thanks for watching!

[@caravaningincarathevan467]

Well done i think i have visited most services in the uk. but i never investigate them apart from the loo's as a lady of a certain age they are my priority. thanks very interesting. xx

[@AutoShenanigans]

There's a whole host of stuff to see at the services! Thanks for watching

[@nicks4934]

Pennine Tower looks run down. Still iconic

[@aaaaplay]

I had never heard of EG or Euro Garages until a couple years ago. In Australia, one of our two major Supermarkets Woolworths had Caltex for all their supermarket associated fuel stations. Then Chevron in the US took the Caltex naming rights back. All the non-supermarket fuel stations rebranded back to Ampol as they were before 1996 and all the supermarket stations are now EG branded. Apparently EG bought out all 156 service stations across Australia. Side note, Woolworths had tried to team up with BP but the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) blocked it.

[@CharityAngelSpectrum]

EG is local to the north west of England. We've got a few of them around here - mostly along the M65. Thought Jon is quite correct - Darwen is the only official service station: the others are usually just a petrol station and a Starbucks. They're not tremendously popular, quite possibly because they push the boundaries of their planning permission to breaking point. And they overcharge to a ridiculous extent. There's one literally at the top of my street (caused chaos when it was being built), and I NEVER use it. I don't think any of the locals do. But it is conveniently just by the motorway, so there are some fools who do.

[@mattparry9645]

A great channel

[@motorwaysuk9878]

that google street view was when it was called Bolton west

[@elrekplaysgames4701]

that weird statue thing on the M65 at Darwen services, when first positioned, someone graphitied "Welcome to Bedrock" on it... which was better than the body drapped over the rock thing is

[@shakedown1979]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a video on the Toooob here of some urbex-ish Lancaster Service Station tower business. It might have been Beno…

[@rhysowen6173]

It’s worth mentioning that Rivington services or Bolton west services as it was called then was featured in the pilot episode for sitcom ‘That Peter Kay Thing’ in 1999 called ‘The Services’. It was really run down at the time and was the only service station that would let them film there. Worth a watch.

[@mikeyboy200606]

It wax Max and Paddy when they was going to France.

[@jamesmiller6977]

The tower at Forton services had a transport cafe at the top of it in the early 1980s. I used to like calling in there as a lorry driver and use the lift to reach the cafe.

[@dave1the1deer1hunter]

The tower looked like the top part of an imperial star destroyer

[@AintBigAintClever]

Tebay, where Yorkshire folk put their unwanted goods to sell.

[@pedanticradiator]

Tebay is in Cumbria not Yorkshire

[@twc_0957]

The m62 eastbound the tunnel is where paddy got shot

[@pedanticradiator]

Rivington services may well qualify for the most changes of ownership- Kenning, Rank, Pavilion, Granada, First, Euro Garages

[@whichwasher2007]

Tbay farm shop is to die for. Also unusually there is no convenience of coffee, gambling, or fast food. 🤔

[@douglasmowat7143]

I cannot believe I'm watching service stations when university challenge is on the telly

[@ianbrown4411]

Rivington Services back when it was Bolton West was the most awful and scary place to visit late at a night. It had toilets open only on one carriageway and no lighting to, from and over the bridge. We tried it once and didn't go again until Eurogarages took it over. The best thing to do was pull it down and build something new.

[@fatcontrole1]

As people have mentioned peter kay filmed a mockumentary at, as was, bolton services. Whats less known is hst when paddy got shot in the a**e by billy in Road to Knowhere, it was filmed at Birch services

[@austen.5756]

You've got Hair 😆

[@jamdonut]

knew id find an m6 video eventually haha

[@martinevans7090]

16:46 "It's TV themes, it's TV themes!"

[@jimdieseldawg3435]

I once coasted a pre-production Bentley Continental GT (BY614) for half a mile along the hard shoulder into Charnock Richard Services. It transpired that the fuel gauge calibration was about a quarter of a tank optimistic on the early test cars; not helpful for successfully making it back to the factory with a 6-litre twin-turbo W12. She coughed a couple of times in the middle lane so I checked mirrors and moved over; then she started hunting and coughing (no idiot lights on or suspicious odours) so hazards on and onto the hard shoulder, engage neutral and see what happens… engine cut out. 70mph V1 x behemoth = remarkable momentum so I silently glided about half a mile on the shoulder, up the sliproad and onto the forecourt. Checked everything I could without tools; nothing obvious. Bashed the fuel card, pushed the start button, waited for the fuel pump to sound normal while expecting it not to, then the starter engaged and she fired straight back up. Nobody believed me back at the office 😆

[@AutoShenanigans]

Optimistic/incorrect readings... Isn't Bentley owned by VW ;-)

[@srfurley]

In the ‘70s the Highway Code used Forte. As their example of a service station site. I never knew where it was, and haven’t driven since 1982.

[@houseclearance7509]

Forte was part of a former brand name "Trusthouse Forte" who along with "Rank" ran the lions' share of all the motorway service station sites. Forte also had a huge number of hotels called Posthouse or Crest. These were as common now as Travelodge, Premier Inn and Hilton/Holiday Inn

[@pedanticradiator]

​@@houseclearance7509 Travelodge was part of the Forte group at one time.

[@thegingerhustle3173]

I've been up there, a mate who worked there snook me up. It is very treacherous up there these day 😢. Strangely alot of attempt have made to purchase or lease the space and bring back into a ionic for the local area. But the services have blocked it at every attempt, with no explanation to why they won't even have dialogue into it future

[@glenlockyer775]

I've always stopped at Forton when up that way. Always known it as Tracey Island....

[@mikecawood]

The remains of the Camelot Theme Park is really spooky :)

[@mattd6085]

It's sad to see what's left of it. I went a kid and can still recognise some of the spaces where rides were. I snuck in back in 2016 and there was still a lot of the park left, had a good wander until a security guard asked us to leave with minimal enthusiasm

[@jondrizzle4554]

Great video got me hooked... Which one stank of p iss the most ?? Being a hgv driver this is quite important information 🤣🤣

[@SportyMabamba]

“Grottiest motorway Bogs” should be a side series on this channel

[@spitfire1962]

Visiting old episodes after watching the 100k one.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Cheers mate, thanks for watching!

[@elnido4184]

I love Cambridge Services operated by (Extra) Hopefully you visited Beaconsfield Motorway Services.

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

15:05 that building that had the Petrol pumps in was a Garage for Boardmans recovery. They had the contract for dragging RTC’s etc off the network along with an AA / RAC contract. It’s been abandoned a long time, as you could tell from the paperwork. Boardmans had a Control Centre in the Pennine Tower at Forton. That shop area was, I think, a “ fast “ stop off for the truckers, before the rebuild, as it is right near the truck parking which is still in the original place on the southbound.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Fascinating stuff, thanks for sharing. We saw a few buildings like this so assume at one point there were many recovery services posted at service stations?

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

@@AutoShenanigans Rivington definitely had that one, I remember it being open. I think it was used as a base for the wreckers and they also had basic workshop facilities to try and get someone going again, presumably they would drag them off the network to there. Did you see the abandoned Police posts at Rivington & Birch ?

[@AutoShenanigans]

@@SiRhodesDriverTraining Great info once again! No sadly not... I was aware that there was the odd police presence but we never found anything related to it! Darn it... have to go back now!

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

@@AutoShenanigans at Rivington, it’s on the Northbound just as you cross the access bridge. Birch is on the Eastbound. As you enter the car park, it’s kind of top left in front of the Premier Inn or whichever franchise runs the hotel.

[@AutoShenanigans]

@@SiRhodesDriverTraining Ah... We did find the one at Birch having looked on google maps. At the time "highway patrol" were parked up having lunch so didn't want to snoop around too much.

[@narayan999]

John, are you secretly Ray Mears

[@pedanticradiator]

My late father and I both used to work for Westmorland Motorway Services. He was a senior manager and I was a cook until I got sacked for being less than polite to a customer,my dad had already been forced into early retirement by then

[@mikeyboy200606]

Rivington services was where Max and Paddy filmed going to france.

[@twc_0957]

Also the birch services is where paddy got shot

[@mainlandtoisland7260]

at the beging is that the theme tune to artur

[@horizonsamuari]

Blackburn with Darwen. Should just be Darwen as it’s actually in Darwen

[@chrisl1797]

I can't believe they didn't visit Darwen Tower.....

[@TheFlexTapes]

Is that tebay?

[@EdgyNumber1]

8:18 With regard to the Pennine Tower, a group of quirky urbexers (who also seem to have a fascination with lifts) actually went up onto that tower... its worth a look: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZzKmp1njraXmsk

[@AutoShenanigans]

Great video. Someone I know recently visited as well.. Shame Moto bent the truth about the "asbestos" and "no access"

[@WolfePaws]

Many years ago, probably 2000 or so, I was up that way for work and stopped at those services. I'd never seen or heard of the tower before, but by pure chance the lift had been left unsecured so I went up for a mooch. Sadly long before camera phones so I had no record. Nice to see a bit more about it.

[@mattflamenco]

Keith Jarett? Kòln recording?

[@DeepSpaceNetwork]

Sick

[@FPSZeb]

Used to work at Killington, 2 words soul destroying.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I couldn't imagine anything better than serving the public at a service station. dream job. (Possible lie)

[@pedanticradiator]

​@@AutoShenanigansI did 8 years at Tebay Southbound and Tebay J38 Truckstop and believe me I was glad to get out

[@jonathantravels]

You missed M6 J38 services!

[@pedanticradiator]

My old workplace

[@andykilvington1651]

Final stop Birch. Home........

[@colinthompson2335]

Did he actually crack a smile at one point?

[@MePeterNicholls]

It’s such a shame that they can’t find a way to make the tower open to public again.

[@MrDanny276]

Did you finally get permission from welcome break

[@AutoShenanigans]

No, they continued to ignore our messages and emails and to this day are yet to come back to us.

[@Dan23_7]

You missed out Lancaster/Forton south bound 😂

[@andykilvington1651]

Killington lake....there but for a typing error

[@AutoShenanigans]

Other spellings available - Kilverson, Kilbinton, Kivlington, Killallthechildren... it's a nightmare

[@marksmith-ew7ir]

Look on Mr chay channel

[@stikee2003]

Knew I’d seen that tower before , looking at vintage passenger lifts etc

[@krispugsley5704]

how long was you transport manager in prison?